With the midterms approaching, I get more and more nervous everyday. As the years go by I feel as though the way my life is headed is becoming out of my hands. Ever since June 24, 2022, I have been feeling hopeless whenever I think of my future. I am a 17 year old girl, and my entire future revolves around 5 justices, 4 of whom are men, and the youngest, Amy Coney Barrett, is 50. It’s terrifying to think that everything that has been done to instate and uphold women’s reproductive rights in this country can come crumbling down with the decision of four men who have no ability to get pregnant. There are millions of people with uteruses within this country facing terrifying consequences of the overturning of Roe V. Wade.

 If you are stuck in a state where there is no choice for women to have control over their bodies, and possibly penalized for crossing state lines to get access to healthcare that could potentially save lives. There is, of course, the moral debate of abortion but logically the focus should be on the women dealing with what could be an unwanted pregnancy or a septic pregnancy just to name a few. Having access to abortion doesn’t increase the number of abortions, just the number of safe abortions. With tighter restriction on safe abortions women can turn to home methods or back door practices, increasing the mortality rate. 

The issue with assuming abortion is the root of the problem is that we’re forgetting the fatal consequences restricting safe abortion access has. Millions of women’s lives are within the hands of the government. Most of said  government is run by men, and I can say for a fact none of those men have ever been pregnant, and definitely haven’t had an abortion. This situation has left me thinking of the future. What will I do if Colorado’s access to abortion is further restricted? What can I do if an abortion is my only way out? What am I supposed to do? I could elaborate endlessly about the intense repercussions of the overturning of Roe V. Wade has and will continue to have on women in America. 

Even things like the de-funding of Planned Parenthood has massive implications. Programs such as Planned Parenthood provide vital resources such as STD testing, sex education, and contraception at affordable or free rates. Considering the sheer amount of services Planned Parenthood provides for many disproportionately affected people across the country. Putting aside the sweeping implications that face our country due to this ruling, the midterms are becoming increasingly concerning.

 No matter where you stand, the midterms are a large part in changing (or keeping) the tides throughout the presidential term. Prior to this election cycle, I was never too concerned about the outcome. What happened, happened, simple as that. However, now, as Colorado is on the verge of potentially being under a leader who would like to restrict access to abortion. Colorado has become a safe haven for women to have safe and legal access to abortion.

 No matter the circumstance, women having the choice to be able to get an abortion is imperative and criminalizing safe abortions only leads to unsafe ones. As a young woman living in America, it’s time for me to think about my future and the future of this country. I should not feel stuck and unsafe if something were ever to happen. But the tide can shift if time and energy is devoted to changing the way things are in this country.